Angel | Heart Game (part 3)

[idolpro]

As soon as you start to fall asleep, the world of Imeeji is engulfed by a bright light.

It’s strange, isn’t it? You have fallen asleep, and yet your consciousness is awake. You’re simply floating, waiting to remember what it’s like to exist. However, as you wait, a growing fear clutches at your chest. What if you don’t remember? What if you will always be empty? What if you never find what it is that you are looking for? What if you die? W̛̮̩̰̫̝̫̱h̰a̪̦͖t̲̘̘̺̀ ͉̭̬͎̪̹͘i̺͍̭͙̹̪f̱̥̻͠ ͝t̼̘̬h̶̫̰̮̦͓̖̣e̳̖͔̜̮͢y͇̻͡ ̙̹͎̗͉͍̬d҉͓̮͓͉i̢e?̺̥͎̖̬̹͞ ͇̻W̺̠̫̤̖͈͉h͇͖̣ͅa̮͍t̛ ̛̙̰̻i͚̖f̡͓ y̴͍̥o̳̜͔͈u̴̥̻ w̰͍͕̥͢i̶̻̫l̬̥̖l͔͙ ̱̻͘ne͕̹͕͕̞̹v͢e̻̪̪͎͈͚͕ṛ̛ ̧̫̹b̘e̖̖̰̣ͅc̢͍om̨͍̘̻̫e̺̘͎͓̮ ̟͉͞w͏̟̖̠̩̜̟h̴̼͈̭̪o̸̹̬̣̳͉̠ ̼̠̯̖̫̜́t̫̘͠h͇̙ͅe̱͡y̭̥̱ͅ ͕̼̭̥̟͎w̜̖̞̲ͅḁ̩͙͚̤̟n̲̳̠̠t̛̲͔̲̜͔ ̟͍̼͖̼ͅy͎͇̘̲o̹̞̜u̻̫ ͙͓͓̲͈ͅț̷͔͎̩o̸̝̝̙͉ ̜͇͓̗̣̦͠b̰̠͡ḛ̛?̢̻̗̹̬͖͇̮ ̖̺̦̻͕̬͔W̨̺̝̰̝̲h͈̥̖̦͖a̴͓̼t ̺̤̪̻͔̯͞w̵i̮͕͜l̤̕l̞ ͞yo̴̯̝͔̜̝͍u̹͕̭̗͚ͅ ̸̟d̲̹̣͇͍̞o̶̼͍̠̦̩?̀Wh̼o ̮̼̱a̟̼r̫͎̘e͟ ͓̪̠͟y̷̫̲̖̱͕̤o̤̪̲̤̪̟͘u͏͈̞?̛͔͚͖̟͉ ̰͓͔W̜̯̗̻̼̥̦h̳̲a͏̘̗̜t̵̬̖̥̠̺͕̹ ̼̰̞͇̯͙̹c̛̝̬̙̱͖ͅa̩͟n͈͙ ̺y̞̰̳̹͈̙ͅo̭͈̭̥̱̱͜u̘̲̦͢ ̫̜ḍ̺͉̳̠̻̜͢o̢̦?̻̞̗̰̩͍͜ ̧͔͈͈͈̲̰͕̣̙͇
Ẁ͖̰͚̙̣̯͉̙̕h̺̻͕͕͈̥͖͜ͅa̟̮͕̬͞t̙̮͔̙̙̞̯ ̶̧̧͇̫̫͈͉̤i̯̫̕f̮̥̲͇ ̛̯͈̞̦̀͝y̫̩͉͈͙̻o͕͎͎̱̤̖ͅͅu̶̞͓̪͔͉̕͜ ̵̖͖͙̣̭̳f̗̪̜͎͎͇̩̟͜ͅa̲͔̘̮í̛̪͈͇̻͍̹̯̭l̗̖̝̪͞?̶̥͚͙̭̫̩̙͙̱͟ Ẁ͖̰͚̙̣̯͉̙̕h̺̻͕͕͈̥͖͜ͅa̟̮͕̬͞t̙̮͔̙̙̞̯ ̶̧̧͇̫̫͈͉̤i̯̫̕f̮̥̲͇ ̛̯͈̞̦̀͝y̫̩͉͈͙̻o͕͎͎̱̤̖ͅͅu̶̞͓̪͔͉̕͜ ̵̖͖͙̣̭̳f̗̪̜͎͎͇̩̟͜ͅa̲͔̘̮í̛̪͈͇̻͍̹̯̭l̗̖̝̪͞?̶̥͚͙̭̫̩̙͙̱͟ Ẁ͖̰͚̙̣̯͉̙̕h̺̻͕͕͈̥͖͜ͅa̟̮͕̬͞t̙̮͔̙̙̞̯ ̶̧̧͇̫̫͈͉̤i̯̫̕f̮̥̲͇ ̛̯͈̞̦̀͝y̫̩͉͈͙̻o͕͎͎̱̤̖ͅͅu̶̞͓̪͔͉̕͜ ̵̖͖͙̣̭̳f̗̪̜͎͎͇̩̟͜ͅa̲͔̘̮í̛̪͈͇̻͍̹̯̭l̗̖̝̪͞?̶̥͚͙̭̫̩̙͙̱͟
W̷̴̶̖͔͈̝̦̺̻̥̼̮̝̺̝̥͖̣͔̼͜͡h̖͉̘͉͉̖̟͚̜̬̫͙̼͖͉̯̤̦͕͠a̺͎̺̘͟͡t̶̸̺͙̰͙̻̗͔̹͍̯͚͠ͅ ̡͓͔̮̘͈̝̻͈̳͍͉̹̗͘͟͠í̬̟͎̻̬͓̦̪̘͟͜f̶̴̯͇̳͉̣͓͉͇̲̠͉̠͚̞͝ ̡͎͎̤͓͔͚̥̕͞y̴̵̢̧̨̱̭̯̤̘̞̩̻̲͙͔͞█̵̨̛̦͉̺̝͔͇͢͠ ̰͓̳͝͡█̴͉͈̝̲̝͕͖͙͔͙̰́́ͅ ̡̖̙̘̪̗̞̪͘͞█̴̶̵̛̩͕͚̣̥̺͡ ̶̢̢̛͙̟̮̯̥̹͎̼͔̻ͅ█̴̧̧͙͎̖̘̥̠̪͉̫͍̯̻̥̟͔̥͇̙ ̛̯͓̣͎̤̟̟̀█̴̵̧̣̮͓̻͍͔̱̘̣̜̞͙̰̟̬̠̩̀͠ͅ ̴̵̨͉̻͇̮̣̼͜͟█̵͉͔̝̺̗͔̯͓̪́ ̴̨͇̱̹̳͍͙̝͟█̢̙͕̞̭͇̣̼͔͟ ̡͕̼͙͙̗̥̱̭̪͙̥̹̮̱̬̥̪̗̹█̴̶̴̫̱̞͟ͅ ̷̧̡̻̭͉͖̻̲̰̦̮͓̜̹̩͎█̶̡̢̗͖͎̘̙͍̜͖̩͉̥̩̞̭̀͜ ̷̴̶̡̛̘̲̤͈̦̣̹̻█̸́͜҉̘̫̝͈̻̳͈̙̪͚̬̥̗̥̺̼̠ ̴̛͇͙̥̫̪̘̩̫͉̙́͜͠█̷̴̛̥̫̳̣͈̭͈̗̗̪̯̬̪̣̻̮̗͘͞ͅ ͏̷̜͇͉͕̯̫͎█͢͏̻͍̦̙̭̭̣̥͓͔
̴̵̨͉̻͇̮̣̼͜͟█̵͉͔̝̺̗͔̯͓̪́ ̴̨͇̱̹̳͍͙̝͟█̢̙͕̞̭͇̣̼͔͟ ̡͕̼͙͙̗̥̱̭̪͙̥̹̮̱̬̥̪̗̹█̴̶̴̫̱̞͟ͅ ̷̧̡̻̭͉͖̻̲̰̦̮͓̜̹̩͎█̶̡̢̗͖͎̘̙͍̜͖̩͉̥̩̞̭̀͜ ̷̴̶̡̛̘̲̤͈̦̣̹̻█̸́͜҉̘̫̝͈̻̳͈̙̪͚̬̥̗̥̺̼̠ ̴̛͇͙̥̫̪̘̩̫͉̙́͜͠█̷̴̛̥̫̳̣͈̭͈̗̗̪̯̬̪̣̻̮̗͘͞ͅ ͏̷̜͇͉͕̯̫͎█͢͏̻͍̦̙̭̭̣̥͓͔
█̴̶̴̫̱̞͟ͅ ̷̧̡̻̭͉͖̻̲̰̦̮͓̜̹̩͎█̶̡̢̗͖͎̘̙͍̜͖̩͉̥̩̞̭̀͜ ̷̴̶̡̛̘̲̤͈̦̣̹̻█̸́͜҉̘̫̝͈̻̳͈̙̪͚̬̥̗̥̺̼̠
█̶̡̢̗͖͎̘̙͍̜͖̩͉̥̩̞̭̀͜








. . . ♫ . . .


You aren’t sure, but you swear that you just heard someone singing . . . the words are incomprehensible, but it makes you feel something familiar . . . a feeling that makes you feel like you’ll find what you’re looking for . . . and that everything will be alright in the end . . .

What is that feeling?

. . .

HUUUH?!

You don’t know?? Wowee . . . well, don’t worry! Since we're friends, I’ll tell you!

It’s hope, of course! !

Comments

[liftoft]

[ gasp!!!! what a perfect challenge!! ]

You know my name's way easier to chant, right? Plus, you just don't got my dazzling personality!

[ spreads his arms wide as he takes a few steps back, almost something-like-dancing, all keyed up. And indeed, he is having a blast playing it up for the audience, full of winking and posing and calling attention to how his shirt isn't really very there--all flirty showmanship. He does make sure to check on Intensity every couple of seconds, both to make sure he's PAYING ATTENTION/PARTICIPATING, but also because the audience seems to love that, too ]

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

[Fuck yeah. He's participating. And while X is all energy and fun, Intensity is well---

He's really going for the cool and collected bad boy image, isn't he?

There might be some cheating with FiN powers to handle the showy parts of the performance. Like dimming/brightening and changing the color of the lights.]

[liftoft]

[ X watches a bit of the light show, somewhere between competitive-jealousy and being impressed; the best rival is someone who you admire a little too, right? Of course. Still, he needs to up his game, if it's gonna be like that! ]

Not bad, man! I dunno though--is that all you got?

[ He removes the weird crystal flower that's somehow stayed attached to his hair and holds it up so that it catches both the light and the audience's attention. Then he closes both hands over it, winks at the audience, and then spreads his arms wide--the flower is totally gone!!!

Well, no--he's just used equivalent exchange to make it so small that the audience loses it in the light. After a few seconds to bask in the response and showily demonstrate that he's definitely no longer holding anything, he reverses the exchange and over-corrects, growing the flower from "nothing" into something about the size of a beach ball ]

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

As if.

[If you want to do a powers-off, X. We can do a powers-off.

All the lights go off on stage for the moment, plunging the whole arena into darkness. And then slowly the lights (the blue ones) come on one by one to flash---

"INTENSITY"

"TAKES"

"THE"

"CITY"

all along the walkway leading up to the stage.

Again and again. In rapid succession.

Intensity looks nonchalant at the crowd and the light show around him, but manages an overly smug smirk when he locks eyes with X]

[liftoft]

[ All X looks is delighted, when Intensity meets his eyes. That's perfect. He hates the idea of losing but he never minds doing it temporarily--he lives his life moment to moment, a never ending series of wins and losses and this was a good way to fall behind, he thinks, because he got to see that.

It just means next time he'll have to do something even flashier.

He turns back to the audience and gives them an overdone shrug--if they can tell X "lost", it doesn't seem to matter. This crowd would cheer for them no matter what, he's pretty sure. Even knowing that none of this is "real", having an audience ready to cheer your every move is motivating.

Maybe he's not done, yet.

Maybe this is a bad idea, but hell--you gotta be a little reckless in life, if you wanna win!

He strides over to Intensity, steps synced as well as he can with the flashing of the lights--it makes it look a little like teleporting, since every other step is done in the darkness between words. He reaches Intensity just as the word CITY lights up the stage and winks at him in that brief moment before the darkness.

A second later the stage is lit again with the blue light of INTENSITY--and X has leaned in, body language showy and exaggerated, mouth pressed against Intensity's. There's the half a second of illumination for the audience to take that in, and then the stage goes black again ]

1/2

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

[I---

What? He's going to do what now?!

The first flash of light captures the kiss.

The second - probably captures X's smug expression and Intensity's complete and utter confusion about what just happened.]

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

[And the third -

Is Intensity shoving X off the platform]

[liftoft]

[ shouts in surprise and flails a bit; NOT QUITE AS PLANNED. okay there wasn't much of a plan to begin with ]

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

[And now it's Intensity's turn to look smug]

Fall before me.

[idolpro]

[YOU FALL TO YOUR DEATH FORE- no jk.

You do feel like you're falling. There's nothing below the audience, after all, but before you fall too far, someone with gentle arms catch you.

Don't worry!

. . .

And baseball throws you back to the stage, and you land with a THUD.]

1/

[liftoft]

[ just lies there on the stage for a few seconds, brain still catching up with what happened

. . .

. . .

. . . ]

/2

[liftoft]

--Haha! Man what the hell, you can't just push people! That was great!

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

You can't just kiss people either, but that didn't seem to stop you.

[liftoft]

Mm? Are you mad about it?

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

Does that matter?

[Intensity's always low-key mad]

[rollplayinghouse]

[WHY ARE YOU BOTH LIKE THIS

Maki has a small heart attack before he lands back on stage.]

Please...

[liftoft]

[ waves at her cheerfully ]

Ooh, great! Harumaki, tell us who won!

[rollplayinghouse]

Neither of you. You're both disqualified for kissing and shoving, respectively.

[She looks around a moment.]

King wins.

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

[WHAT!??????]

[puzzlekeeper]

[ SUCK IT!!!!!! Thanks Maki.

He'll just be over here, laughing. ]

[liftoft]

H-Hey!!

[rollplayinghouse]

You asked. That's my decision.

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

If you expect me to feel bad, I don't!

[rollplayinghouse]

I expect you to not be as much of an idiot as he is.

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

You really going to say you wouldn't have done something similar if someone had unexpectedly kissed you?